Sample-display rack.



No. 678,356. Patented Jul [6, I901.

J. w. CARVER. SAMPLE DISPLAY RACK.

(Apylication filed Feb. 12. 1900.)

. 2 Sheats- Sheet I.

(No Model.)

Nu. 628,356. Patented July 16, mm. J. w. CARVER. sum: DISPLAY BACK.

' (Application filed. Feb. 12, 1900.)

(No llndul.)

2 Shoots-Sheet 2,

UNITED STATE-S PATENT- ()FFICE.

JAMES W. CARVER, OF AUBURN, MAINE, ASSIGNOR-TO THE/BOSTON DISPLAY RACKCOMPANY, OF'NEW HA rsHIRn.

SAMPLE-DISPLAY RACK.

SPECIFICATION forming art of Letters Patent No. 678,356, dated July 16,1901.

Application filed February 12, 1900. Serial No. 4,887. (No model.)

To (ZZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES W. CARVER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Auburn, in the county of Androscoggin and State of Maine,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in'Sample-DisplayRacks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to folding packing-racks.

Myim proved folding rack is especially useful to traveling salesmen. Itis wellknown that much time of traveling salesmen is consumed by theunpacking and repacking of sample-cases, as the various samples which hecarriesmnst be placed in the cases in a regular and predetermined order.

The object of the present invention is to make a folding packing-rack tograsp and hold a series of articles,'whereby said rack may be folded,while still retaining the articles for convenience in packing andunpacking the same. The articles are held by the racks in groups, sothat a rack may be removed from the case containing the same and thegroup of articles held thereby shown to a purchaser, and thereafter therack, with its group of articles, may be readily and quickly repacked inthe case, thus saving much time heretofore lost by the salesman inunpacking and repacking his samples.

To the above end the present invention consists of the improved foldingpacking-rack, which is hereinafter described, and particularly definedby the claims.

The present inventionis illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich Figure 1 shows in an isometric view afolding packing-rackembodying the present invention. Fig. 2 shows in isometric view the rackfolded for packing, showing in dotted lines an article held therein.Fig. 3 shows the rack in end elevation. Fig. 4 shows a vertical sectiontaken through one of the article-holders, and Fig. '5 is. a diagrammaticview illustrating the trayof atrunk and showing the manner of packingthe articles'when held in my improved folding packing-racks.

In its broadest aspect my invention con-' sists of a foldingpacking-rack provided with a series of article-holders pivoted to theframe of the rack.

My invention also contemplates a folding packing-rack having a frame, aseries of article-holders pivoted thereto, and an inde-' pendent devicefor connecting, the articleholders together, so that they mayall befolded and unfolded simultaneously.

My invention also contemplates certain details of constructionhereinafteridescribed.

The illustrated embodiment of the present invention shows a foldingpacking-rack for holding and packing shoes, and the holders thereon areparticularly constructed for holding and packing shoes. I desire tostate, however, that the present invention, in so far as its genericfeatures are concerned, is not limited to a rack for packing anyspecific article, as it will he understood that by changing thearticle-holders as the case may require said rack may be adaptedforholding and packing articles .of various forms. I

In the drawings, a represents the rack as a whole, which consists oflongitudinal parallel supporting-bars a of an indefinite length, eitherof which may be considered as the frame and the other as the independentconnecting device, to which are pivotally secured the article-holders aan indefinite number ofsuch holders .being secured to the parallel barsa.

The article-holders in the illustrated embodiment of the presentinvention are formed of metal strips, each bent at a forming a verticalportion a and a horizontal portion cf, the vertical portion beingpivotally secured to the parallel strips a by rivets a, the constructionbeing such that a longitudinal movement of the bars a in oppositedirections will cause said bars a to approach each other and thearticle-holders to turn down in the position as shown in Fig. 2, thusturning the articles down, so that they overlap each other, as shown inthe diagrammatic view, Fig. 5, for convenience in packing.

When the device is arranged for holding and packing shoes,the'horizontalportions a of the article-holders have secured at their forward endsU-shaped. clips of", formed of spring metal, secured by rivets a to theends of the horizontal portions or. The clips a are designed to embracethe shank portion of the shoe, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2, andalso in Fig. 5. In order to prevent the lateral displacement of theshoes in the holders, they are preferably provided with substantially Ushaped clips a", formed of sheet metal, secured by means of rivets a tothe Vertical part a thereof, designed to embrace the back of the heel ofthe shoe, as clearly shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2, and in Fig. 5. Forthe purpose of protecting the shoes from damage by contact with themetal clips a and a said clips are preferably covered with leather a orsome other suitable soft covering, which may be secured to the clips bystitching or in any other suitable manner.

In order to provide for the reception of the heel of the shoe in thesample-holders, the horizontal portions a are preferably bent upward attheir forward ends, as shown at a thus forming a seat or recess a forthe reception of the heel of the shoe, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and5. In the use of my improved folding packing-rack the shoes will befitted into the holders as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 and in Fig.5, and when the parallel bars a are moved apart, as shown in Fig. 1 ofthe drawings, the rack will hold each shoe upright therein in convenientposition for displaying them, and in such position each article may bereadily removed from its holder for a closer inspection, as desired.Vthen it is desired to repack the articles in the packing-case, theparrallel bars will be moved so as to approach each other, thus turningthe holders to the position shown in Fig. 2, laying the articles down,as clearly shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 and in full lines, Fig. 5,and in this position the rack will be placedin the trunk or tray T, asshown in Fig. 5, the racks being reversed, so that the shoes will nesttogether, as clearly shown in this view.

The rack maybe made of any suitable material, but preferably of somesuitable light metal, such as aluminium, which I have found is welladapted for the purpose.

Having described the construction and mode of operation of my invention,I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates-- 1. A folding packing-rack for shoes, having, in combination, aframe, and a series of shoe-holders pivoted to said frame, saidshoeholders comprising a vertical portion provided with a back partsheet-metal clip and a horizontal portion provided with a heelholdingrecess, the clips and recesses being arranged to engage and hold aseries of shoes, substantially as described.

2. A folding packing-rack, having, in combination, a frame, a series ofarticle-holders pivoted to said frame, having means respectively forgrasping and holding a series of articles, and an independent rigidconnecting device for connecting together the series of article-holdersto compel them to move in unison, substantially as described.

3. A folding packing-rack for shoes, having, in combination, a frame, aseries of shoeholders having means, respectively, for grasping andholding a series of shoes, said holders being pivoted to the frame andconstructed to turn down to hold the shoes in position for packing andto turn up to display the same, and a rigid connecting device forconnecting together the series of shoe-holders to compel them to move inunison, substantially as described.

4. A folding packing-rack for shoes, comprising parallel bars,shoe-holders, comprising a horizontal portion and a vertical portion,pivoted to said bars, a spring-clip supported on the horizontal portionto embrace the shank of the shoe and a clip mounted on the Verticalportion to embrace the counter of the shoe, substantially as described.

5. A folding packing-rack for shoes, comprising parallel bars,shoe-holders pivotally supported 011 said bars, said holders comprisinga vertical portion and a horizontal portion, spring-clips carried at theends of the horizontal portions to embrace the shank of the shoe, andsaid horizontal portions having a recess to receive the heel of theshoe, substantially as described.

6. A folding packing-rack, comprising a support consisting of parallel,relatively movable bars and article-holders, each holder being pivotallysecured to each of said bars and having means for grasping and holding aseries of articles, substantially as described.

7. A folding packing-rack for shoes, having, in combination, a frame,aseries of shoeholders having devices, respectively,for grasping andholding the back parts and the shanks of a series of shoes, said holdersbeing pivoted to the frame and constructed to turn down to hold theshoes in position for packing and to turn up to display the same, and arigid connecting device for connecting together the series ofshoe-holders to compel them to move in unison, substantially asdescribed.

8. A folding packing-rack for shoes, having, in combination, a frame, aseries of shoeholders, having clips, respectively, for engaging the backparts, and recesses for holding the heels of a series of shoes, the saidholders being pivoted to the frame and constructed to turn down to holdthe shoes in position for packing and to turn up to display the same,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES \V. CARVER.

Witnesses:

FoREs'r E. LUDDEN, W. T. HILDRETH.

